What’s better to do on April Fools’ Day than to eat a fool? The fool is a traditional British dessert that’s an oldie (dating to the 15th or 16th century) but very goodie, combining fruit and whipped cream. The earliest known versions were made with gooseberries (Fun fact! Cultivation of gooseberries were banned in the U.S. in the 1930s.), but this version features another spring produce star: rhubarb. The rhubarb is punched up with ginger and lemongrass, and and is folded into a simple whipped cream. It’s a perfect match — the tartness of the rhubarb cuts through the velvety richness of the whipped cream, which means you’ll want to eat as many fools as you can lay your hands on.

Directions

For the Rhubarb Compote
1. Peel the rhubarb and cut it into 2-inch lengths. Slice each piece into 1/4-inch julienne.
2. Combine the sugar, water, lemongrass, and ginger in a medium saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add the seeds and pod to the pan. Bring to a boil, turn off the heat, and let stand for 20 minutes to infuse the liquid with flavor.
3. Strain the infused liquid and return it to the saucepan. Add the rhubarb and simmer for 15 minutes, or until tender. Remove from the heat. Let cool slightly, or let cool to room temperature.

For the Fool
1. Whip the cream and sugar until soft peaks form. Fold the rhubarb compote and cream together, reserving a tablespoon of compote per serving for garnish.
2. Spoon the fool into clear glasses or bowls and serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours. To serve, top the fool with compote.

By Suzannah Schneider

Meet the Team

Whether it’s finding the best goat tacos in LA, spotting a well-worn vintage bag in Sweden, or interviewing the “crab man” selling seafood on a corner in Harlem, we tell stories seen from Chef Marcus Samuelsson‘s point of view. MarcusSamuelsson.com strives to create conversations about food, nutrition, culture, art, and design. We want to find Read More